[VIDEO] The 1963 Harley J. Earl Corvette Sells for $1.5 Million at Mecum Chicago

0
3089

[VIDEO] The 1963 Harley J. Earl Corvette Sells for $1.5 Million at Mecum Chicago

When Harley Earl left General Motors in 1963, he was gifted with this unique Corvette Sting Ray Convertible that was customized to his interests by the style department he originally created. The Harley Earl Corvette was the featured vehicle at Mecum’s 2013 Chicago auction and a little after 3pm ET on Saturday afternoon, the hammer fell with the sold price reaching $1.5 million.

This is the third time we’ve seen the Harley Earl Corvette on a Mecum auction block in the last four years. At the Bloomington Gold auction in June 2009, the Corvette was a no sale with the high bid at $985,000. The following year it showed up at Mecum’s Spring Classic where it sold for $925,000.

With the recent sale of the 1968 L88 Corvette for $3.2 million at Mecum’s Dallas auction, we speculated if another record price for Corvettes would fall. With the sales price at $1.5 million, the Harley Earl Corvette becomes the third highest selling Corvette at a public auction. The 1963 Corvette Rondine sold in 2008 for $1.6 million to remain the 2nd highest sale behind the ’67 L88.

Here’s the video from the sale and as you’ll see, the auctioneer was really working hard to keep the auction going, but once it hits $1.5 million he eventually closes it down by hammering it sold.

The Corvette features many components from 1965 and many items that were never on regular production Corvettes. The color is metallic blue and the interior features custom blue leather seats with white trim. The Corvette features a set of gauges built into where the passenger glove box would be located. The clock was moved to the glovebox and accompanied by an accelerometer, vacuum pressure gauge, oil temperature gauge and matching inside/outside temperature gauges, while an altimeter replaced the clock in the center of the dash.

Perhaps the car’s most distinguishable feature is the side exhaust. It is one of 4 Corvette with the custom side exhaust. The other cars that have it are the original styling Mako Shark, the 1964 Bunkie Knudsen car and the 1964 Chicago Auto Show car.

The 1963 Harley J. Earl Corvette Sells for $1.5 Million at Mecum Chicago


Source:
Mecum

Related:
[VIDEO] 1967 L88 Corvette Convertible Sells for Record $3.2 Million at Mecum Dallas
[VIDEO] Harley Earl’s 1963 Corvette Sells for $925,000
Steel-bodied 1963 Corvette Rondine Still Amazing Fans After 49 Years

 



-